SANTA ANA COLLEGE el Don/eldonnews.org • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2017
LIFESTYLE 11
FITFASTER
Steroids may give athletes a nicer physique, but it comes with
health risks that can eventually lead to death
STORY BY JORDY ESPINOZA / el Don
There she was. Cold, empty and lifeless. Nancy
Benoit lay with a bible by her side, tied and stran- physiological limits of their body's muscle, making it
gled with a cord on the night of June 22, 2007. The grow bigger and stronger than it would naturally.
next morning her seven-year-old son Daniel would “Anabolic steroids, in addition to being illegal,
also be found lying on his bed littered with bruises have important health consequences,” said Aaron L.
around his neck and arms. He was strangled in his Baggish, M.D., lead author of the study and instruc-
sleep, caught in a “crippler crossface” wrestling hold tor in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts
and surrounded by posters of his murderer — his General Hospital in Boston. Despite the potential
father, professional wrestler for World Wrestling to increase muscle performance, steroid use also
Entertainment, Chris Benoit. incurs side effects ranging from unhealthy skin to
Although ten years have passed since the Benoit
double murder-suicide, it exemplifies the radical
delusional behavior.
The Science Daily News noted in a story that long-
effects of anabolic steroids, one of the most contro- term anabolic steroid use may weaken the heart
versial drugs, according to the National Institute on and increase the risk of heart failure. In a study
Drug Abuse. conducted by Baggish, the left ventricle, the heart's
Steroids are medical treatments that come in two
Nikki Nelsen / el Don
increase muscle mass and decrease fat push the
main pumping chamber, was significantly weaker
varieties: anabolic steroids and corticosteroids. during contraction in steroid users compared to
Both are synthetic versions of hormones produced non-steroid users. Baggish also found that the left
naturally in the body. However, they perform two ventricle pumps out 55 to 70 percent of the blood
different tasks. Corticosteroids are used by doctors that fills the heart. He said that 83 percent of all
to decrease inflammation, while anabolic steroids steroid users in a 12-person study had a low pump-
are the synthetic version of the male sex hormone, ing capacity that previous studies have linked to
testosterone. In the United States, individuals need a increased risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac
prescription to acquire any anabolic steroid. arrest.
Anabolic steroids are currently banned in every Anabolic steroid use may also increase impulsive
major sporting organization. According to the Drug behavior. “Roid rage,” aggressive behavior induced
Enforcement Administration, they are classified as by anabolic steroid use, is caused by using steroids
Schedule III substances under the Controlled Sub- to a point where the brain is damaged and causes
stances Act. Drugs under this category have a high loss of self-control. The physical effects and the
potential for physical and mental dependence. mental reactions associated with steroid use destroy
Athletes that take anabolic steroids in order to
the mind from within.